Indoor workouts: 7 best exercises to do at home if you can’t go outside due to air pollution

Benefits of yoga: Along with Pilates, yoga focusses on flexibility, core strength, and mental relaxation, all of which are excellent for physical and mental well-being (Image: Canva)

If you are stuck at home because of pollution and can’t go out for you’re daily walk or run, there are enough workout routines that you can do from home. With air quality levels being categorised as “very poor”, especially around the National Capital Region, the central government has issued an advisory asking people to monitor air quality indices before venturing outdoors for walks or other physical exercises.

This doesn’t need to be a setback for those of you who are committed to fitness. There are enough home workouts that are equally effective when going outdoors isn’t an option.

• Exercises: Squats, push-ups, lunges, planks, and glute bridges.
• How to do it: Do each exercise for 30–45 seconds, with 10–15 seconds of rest in between. Repeat the circuit 3–5 times.
• Benefits: Bodyweight workouts, combined with a healthy diet, help with strength and endurance, according to Mayo Clinic. There is enough research to suggest that by doing regular aerobic exercises, you can gain increased heart and lung fitness, and bone and muscle strength over time.

• Exercises: Burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, and high knees.
• How to do it: Perform each exercise at high intensity for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for 4 minutes, then rest before the next set.
• Benefits: Just 4-5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes you huff and puff can lower risk of some cancers by up to 32 per cent, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Oncology. HIIT is also great for calorie burning and cardiovascular health.

• Exercises: Sun salutations, warrior poses, bridge poses, and Pilates roll-ups.
• How to do it: Follow an online class or a 20–30 minute yoga/Pilates sequence.
• Benefits: The Indian Council of Medical Research recommends yoga to stay physically and mentally fit. Yoga, along with Pilates, focus on flexibility, core strength, and mental relaxation, all of which are excellent for physical and mental well-being.

• Exercises: Banded rows, shoulder presses, squats, and leg lifts.
• How to do it: Complete 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps for each exercise.
• Benefits: According to researchers, gaining strength allows you to perform daily tasks much easier. Resistance bands are a great way to add strength-training benefits to bodyweight exercises without needing heavy weights.

• Exercises: Planks, bicycle crunches, leg raises, and Russian twists.
• How to do it: Perform each exercise for 30–45 seconds, with a 15-second rest between sets. Aim for 3 rounds.
• Benefits: The American Sports and Fitness Association suggests doing core strengthening exercises to improve posture, balance, and stability.

• Exercises: Follow a dance workout online or dance freestyle to your favourite music.
• How to do it: Dance for 20–30 minutes at a moderate to high intensity.
• Benefits: Dance cardio is a fun way to improve coordination, burn calories, and lift your mood. Moderate intensity dancing is also linked to good cardiovascular health, according to a paper found on the National Library of Medicine.

• Exercises: Hamstring stretch, quad stretch, cat-cow, and hip openers.
• How to do it: Spend about 30 seconds on each stretch, focusing on different muscle groups.
• Benefits: Research has shown that stretching can help improve flexibility, and, as a result, the range of motion of your joints. It also reduces muscle soreness, and helps prevent injury. By creating a consistent routine, you’ll stay active and healthy, even without stepping out of your home.